Mechanics of shaft-loaded blister test for thin film suspended on compliant substrate

Based on the von Kármán plate theory, the mechanics of a shaft-loaded blister test for thin film/substrate systems is studied by considering elastic substrate deformations and residual stresses in these films. In testing, films are attached to a substrate provided with a circular hole, through which loading is applied to the film by a flat-ended shaft of circular cross-section. The effect of substrate deformation on the deflection of the loaded film is taken into account by using a line spring model. For small deflections, an analytical solution is derived, while for large deflections a numerical solution is obtained using the shooting method. The resulting load-shaft displacement relation, which is essential in blister tests, compares favorably with finite element analysis.     

Continuous flow infrared matrix‐assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Continuous flow infrared matrix‐assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (CF IR MALDESI) mass spectrometry was demonstrated for the on‐line analysis of liquid samples. Samples in aqueous solution were flowed through a 50 µm i.d. fused‐silica capillary at a flow rate of 1–6 µL/min. As analyte aqueous solution flowed through the capillary, a liquid sample bead formed at the capillary tip. A pulsed infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser with wavelength of 2.94 µm and a 20 Hz repetition rate was focused onto the capillary tip for sample desorption and ablation. The plume of ejected sample was entrained in an electrospray to form ions by MALDESI. The resulting ions were sampled into an ion trap mass spectrometer for analysis. Using CF IR MALDESI, several chemical and biochemical reactions were monitored on‐line: the chelation of 1,10‐phenanthroline with iron(II), insulin denaturation with 1,4‐dithiothreitol, and tryptic digestion of cytochrome c. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation and characterization of gradient distribution of silicon in emulsion blend films

In this work, a functional gradient polymeric material derived from silicon-containing acrylate blend emulsion film is prepared in two steps. Firstly, 3-[tris(trimethylsilyloxy)silyl] propyl methacrylate (TRIS)-modified acrylate latex is prepared using multiple emulsifiers by the two-stage semicontinuous emulsion copolymerization method. Next, blend latexes composed of TRIS-containing and TRIS-free acrylate latexes are obtained. Detailed studies on the effects of the film-formation temperature and the glass transition temperature (T _g) differences on the compositional gradient film are conducted. Surface energy analysis shows that silicon elements enriched at the film-air (F-A) interface and T _g differences facilitate the fabrication of silicon gradient in emulsion blend films. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray further reveals that the concentration of silicon components varies in a gradient-like manner along the overall transaction of the film when the film-formation temperature is 55 °C. However, excessive temperature creates the formation of a segmental gradient distribution of silicon in the emulsion blend films.     

Two numerical methods for a Cauchy problem for modified Helmholtz equation

We consider a Cauchy problem for the modified Helmholtz equation. A conditional stability estimate is proved. Two order optimal regularization methods and error estimates are investigated. Numerical experiment shows that these methods work well.     

Synthesis of 4μ‐PS2PEO2, 4μ‐PS2PCL2, 4μ‐PI2PEO2, and 4μ‐PI2PCL2 star‐shaped copolymers by the combination of glaser coupling with living anionic polymerization and ring‐opening polymerization

4μ‐A₂B₂ star‐shaped copolymers contained polystyrene (PS), poly(isoprene) (PI), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) or poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) arms were synthesized by a combination of Glaser coupling with living anionic polymerization (LAP) and ring‐opening polymerization (ROP). Firstly, the functionalized PS or PI with an alkyne group and a protected hydroxyl group at the same end were synthesized by LAP and then modified by propargyl bromide. Subsequently, the macro‐initiator PS or PI with two active hydroxyl groups at the junction point were synthesized by Glaser coupling in the presence of pyridine/CuBr/N,N,N ′,N ″,N ″‐penta‐methyl diethylenetri‐amine (PMDETA) system and followed by hydrolysis of protected hydroxyl groups. Finally, the ROP of EO and ε‐CL monomers was carried out using diphenylmethyl potassium (DPMK) and tin(II)‐bis(2‐ethylhexanoate) (Sn(Oct)₂) as catalyst for target star‐shaped copolymers, respectively. These copolymers and their intermediates were well characterized by SEC, ¹H NMR, MALDI‐TOF mass spectra and FT‐IR in details. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Properties of HfO2 thin films prepared by dual-ion-beam reactive sputtering

HfO₂ thin films were prepared in dual-ion-beam reactive sputtering (DIBRS) method. Spectrophotometer, surface thermal lensing (STL) technique, Rutherford backscattering (RBS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed in measuring the transmittance, absorptance, stoichiometry, and microstructure, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the peak transmittance value of the sample is about 90%. Weak absorptance measurement for 1064 nm wavelength laser by STL technique investigated that the absorption is 180 ppm for as-grown sample, which is larger than expected. Substoichiometry is the main cause for larger absorptance, which could be proved by RBS and annealing test results. XRD result shows that the films are polycrystalline, and the monoclinic is the dominant phase.